Two Shot Dead at Virginia Tech, Police Search for Suspect
Virginia Tech is in the midst of a lockdown after university officials said two people, including a campus police officer, were shot and killed shortly after noon today. The suspect remains at large.
According to a news release on the school’s website, a police officer stopped a vehicle on campus during a routine traffic stop. During the traffic stop, the officer was shot and killed. There were witnesses to this shooting.
Witnesses reported to police the shooter fled on foot heading toward the Cage, a parking lot near Duck Pond Drive. At that parking lot, a second person, also dead, was found.
The university described the suspect as white male, wearing gray sweat pants, a gray hat with neon green brim, maroon hoodie and backpack.
Several law enforcement agencies are on scene to assist, with the Virginia State Police taking the lead in the investigation.
“The campus community should continue to shelter in place and visitors should not come to campus,” the school said.
The school previously went into a five-hour lockdown on Aug. 4, after a report of a possible gunman on campus. No gunman was found. On April 16, 2007, 33 people died in the worst campus shooting in U.S. history when Seung-Hui Cho shot and killed 32 students and faculty, along with himself. Twenty-five others were wounded.